How To Honor Heroes On Veterans Day In Hillsborough County

Skyla Luckey
·3 min read

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL — Veterans Day, a federal holiday, is held yearly on Nov. 11. It honors all American veterans and military.

In Tampa Bay, there are veteran discounts, in-person celebrations and virtual celebrations on Wednesday:

  • The annual Veterans Day Parade in Tampa has been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. It is planned to take place in Nov. 2021.

  • Veterans Day at Seminole Post 111, 6918 N Florida Ave, Tampa, has a full day of activities planned for veterans with ceremonies starting at 11 a.m. Plates of Mojo Pork will be served starting at 12 p.m. until gone. At 4 p.m., Jenna Denee, will provide live music as she jams out on her ukulele.

  • Zoo Tampa, 1101 W Sligh Ave, is offering free admission to veterans plus one guest. If a veteran brings two additional guests, they get 50 percent off, and 15 percent off food and beverages.

  • Tampa Museum of Art, 120 W Gasparilla Plaza, is giving free admission to veterans and military members.

  • Sparkman Wharf retailers and restaurants will provide Veterans Day discounts to veterans and active duty members with proof of service.

  • "Better Ground: Live Stream Theatre, Music and Combat Storytelling" presented by The Heroes Journey and Theatre eXceptional, a Clearwater performance company. Show starts at 7 p.m. on Nov. 11. Click here for tickets and information. The proceeds from the ticket sales will be used to open Tampa Bay's first veteran-owned and operated "black box" theatre to continually give veterans a voice.

  • Bay Pines Veterans Affairs, Virtual Veterans Day Ceremony, at 11 a.m. via Facebook Live.

  • The Dali Museum, 1 Dali Blvd, St. Petersburg, is offering complimentary admission to veterans and military members with valid ID.

  • Virtual Veterans Day Presentation presented by the city of Largo kicks off at 11 a.m. with keynote speakers and award presentations.

Originally called Armistice Day, the holiday was created at the end of World War I to recognize those who fought in “the war to end all wars,” according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Its origin is tied to the armistice, a temporary end of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany signed in France on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.

It became Veterans Day in 1954, shortly after the end of the Korean War and less than a decade after World War II, after various veterans service organizations urged Congress to encompass veterans of all wars in their honor.

With some ceremonies, parades and presentations either canceled or altered in 2020 due to the coronavirus crisis, restaurants and other businesses will continue to show their appreciation for veterans and active military members.

Applebee’s, Bob Evans and Chili’s Grill and Bar are among the national restaurant chains offering free or discounted meals for veterans on Nov. 11, and 7-Eleven is offering a free cup of coffee or Big Gulp.

Other places, such as Golden Corral and Eat'n Park, have offers extended throughout November.

Veterans Day is somewhat related to, and sometimes mistaken for, Memorial Day, the federal holiday on the final Monday of May that is dedicated to those who have died while serving the United States in war.

This article originally appeared on the Brandon Patch